THE head of a Northwich school says they have had to put plans to recruit staff on hold due to soaring energy bills, with the school's plight being raised in Parliament. 

The town’s MP Mike Amesbury recently visited Hartford Manor Primary School and Nursery on Stones Manor Lane where he toured the facilities and met staff and pupils.

But during his visit he also heard concerns about the impact of rising costs and the toll that was taking on plans to recruit staff.

School principal Simon Kidwell told The Guardian the school was struggling to balance its budget after bills had doubled.

He said 'the reality' of the increase in energy costs meant there was less money to spend on the children and plans to employ an additional teaching assistant would have to be put hold.

He said: “We have seen our costs for electricity and gas rise by 50 per cent each month.

“In addition, our food costs for before and after school provision has increased by 14 per cent in the last 12 months - costs we are holding off passing on to parents who are in many cases just about managing.“

Simon added he wanted the government to work with energy companies to enable schools to get the best deal, prioritise school insulation in the most inefficient buildings and centrally fund teacher and support staff pay rises above two per cent for the next academic year.

Speaking in Parliament, Mike Amesbury raised the school’s situation with ministers.

He said: "Like many schools up and down the country, it is suffering as a result of the escalating cost of energy bills. What are the minister and the department going to do about it, as a matter of urgency?"

Then schools minister and Worcester Conservative MP Robin Walker - who has since resigned in protest over Boris Johnson’s leadership - replied: “As I have said many times already, we have put £4 billion in for next year. We want to work with schools to support them."

He said there was additional support through the 'buying for schools system' - a Department for Education-approved framework that provides schools guidance on procurement.

He added: "We will continue to support the sector and help it with the costs that it is facing."